Project Pride community cleanup has evolved, but mission stays the same

by Jacqueline Mitchell

Project Pride, the annual community cleanup event that combines the efforts of Bath Township and Richfield residents, is set for Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m.-noon. This year, Richfield Village Parks and Recreation Director Ruth Jocek is determined to drum up more resident participation than ever.

“We need more of our local residents – families, neighbors – out here picking up trash,” she said.

The day of the event, community members can gather at Richfield Town Hall Pavilion or Bath Elementary School to receive trash bags, safety vests, gloves (all donated by Lowe’s Co.) and street assignments.

Residents can pick an area on the map they’d like to clean up, such as their own neighborhood, or allow organizers to assign them a location, Jocek said.

In the Richfield Village Hall parking lot, the village will offer electronic recycling and paper shredding to residents of both communities.

“You can stand there and see them shredding your papers,” Jocek said.

Electronics accepted for recycling include computers, keyboards, cords and monitors, as long as they’re not cracked. Televisions, washers, dryers, refrigerators and similar appliances will not be accepted.

Bath Township Administrator Vito Sinopoli said Rumpke, the township’s waste-hauling company, has agreed to provide a large dumpster at Bath Elementary School.

Local businesses and students are encouraged to participate. Representatives from Bath and Richfield have met with Revere High School students to organize participation in the event, Sinopoli said. Bath resident Dana Singer, who earlier this year announced she was stepping down, previously led student involvement.

Revere seniors are eligible to receive credit for service hours by participating in the project. Sinopoli anticipates 150-200 high school students and at least 100-150 resident volunteers in both communities. Jocek is hoping for at least 75 participants from Richfield alone.

Those collecting trash can leave filled bags along the roadside.

“We will come by on Monday to pick it up,” Jocek said.

Sinopoli said Bath police, fire, service and parks departments and the Summit County Engineer’s Office will also collect bags. The county is installing signs to warn motorists that volunteers will be active the day of the event, he said.

History

In its early years, Project Pride was known as “Clean Up Richfield,” and it’s been around for as long as Jocek has held her position, about 27 or 28 years, she said.

“We started it when Summit County started Clean Up Akron,” she said. “We went in conjunction with them on the same weekend.”

Since then, the effort has expanded, eventually collaborating with Revere to include student volunteers as a major part of the event.

Jocek estimates that Richfield has been partnering with Bath on the event for over 10 years. She said she initially established the relationship with Bath Township’s then-administrator, Bill Snow.

“We just decided to work together,” she said. “We wanted to come up with a name that worked for both of us, so we turned it into Project Pride.”

Singer said she had been Bath’s main coordinator of the event for 15 years. Township administration has reached out at various trustee meetings to find a replacement, Sinopoli said.

“But we understand that Project Pride may take on a different form without Dana,” he said. “We’re hoping that if we don’t have one central person to coordinate, that several volunteers will come forward to organize future Project Pride events.”

Volunteer

Though advance registration is not required, those interested in volunteering can access registration forms at richfieldvillageohio.org and mail them or drop them off at Richfield Village Hall. Residents can even choose to do their cleanup on a different day if it’s more convenient.

“We have bags ready to go if they want to do it on an odd day,” Jocek said.

Since the early days of Clean Up Richfield, Jocek said she thinks the event has accomplished its aim.

“I do believe we’ve accomplished our goal, because we see a lot of morning walkers walking with blue bags, picking up trash as they go,” she said. “Now, if we could just get the people who drive through to not leave their trash.”

Arbor Day

Richfield is celebrating Arbor Day at the same time and location as Project Pride by distributing trees to Richfield residents. Jocek said the village has about 2,000 trees and between seven to nine different species. Each resident may receive one of each species of tree. The giveaway starts at 9 a.m., “and when they run out, they run out,” Jocek said.

For more information on Project Pride, call the Richfield Recreation Center at 330-659-5818 or Bath Township at 330-666-4007.

Featured image photo caption: A group of Revere High School seniors clean up litter in Bath at a past Project Pride. Photo by S. Serdinak